Container



July 27, 1926.

R. B. DU VAL CONTAINER Filed Jan. 15 1925 INVENTOR F19 yMalvalifla V/u ATTORNEY Patented July 27, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAYMOND B. DU VAL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR '10 COMBINATION MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

commune.

Application filed January 13, 1925. Serial No. 2,116.

This invention is an improvement in containers of sheet material, and more specifically in, containers of the slide box type, intended for holding cigarettes, cigars, and like articles.

Cigarettes, small cigars, and like articles, are usually packed in containers of paper board or the like, the cigarettes held in slide movable into and out of ashell.

In such containers the cigarettes or cigars are usually arranged in a double row, and for convenience in removing the same, the slide is so constructed that when the tuck-in flap at one end is released and the slide partially withdrawn, not only the ends of the cigarettes or cigars are exposed, but also a portion of the front face of the-front row. When the tuck-in flap of such containers is pulled out, and the slide is partially withdrawn, the cigarettes or cigars are presented with their ends in the same plane, and since they are usually compactly arranged, it is diiiicult to extract a single article without tearing or otherwise injuring the wrapper.

No part of the articles extends beyond the slide, so that even when the articles are arranged in a single row, there is nothing separate and distinct from the mass presented to the grasp.

The position of the tuck-in flap across the ends of the articles, and its tendency to revert to this covering osition further impedes and complicates se ection and removal of an article.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a container of the type mentioned, wherein, when partially withdrawn from the shell, the slide may be moved out of register with the mass of articles, thereby to leave the outer ends thereof free.

Another object is the provision of a slide so constructed and arranged, that by simple manipulation of the same when partially withdrawn from the shell, the articles may be presented in stepped arrangement, with each article projecting slightly beyond the succeeding.

Another object is the provision of a construction of container, embodying means enabling attainment among others of the above specified objects, without radical departure from accepted forms and methods of manufacture.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing, and such other objects as may hereinafter ap pear, the invention consists in the construct1on and novel combination of parts fully described hereinafter, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims appended hereto, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container constructed in accordance with the invention, with the tuck-in flap opened.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the. slide partially withdrawn, and manipulated to project the articles in stepped arrangement.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the'shell with the slide in the position of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the slide is formed.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the improved container is composed of a shell 1 of usual construction, having one end open, and the other closed as indicated at 2, and a slide adapted to be inserted into the shell through the open end. V

The slide comprises a body portion 3, and ends 4 and 5, each end having a tuck-in flap, the said flaps indicated at 6 and 7. The slide is formed from a blank of suitable material, which is provided with fold defining lines 8, in the nature of creases, scores or the like, defining the ends and tuck-in flaps of the slide, and indicating the lines of fold to form the slide desired.

When folded to receive the cigarettes 9. or other like articles, the ends 4 are bent at right angles to the body, and the tuck-in flaps 6 and 7 are bent to lie substantially parallel with the body, the articles being arranged between the body and the tuck-in flaps. It will be noticed referring to Fig. 4, that the tuck-in flap 7 is of greater width than the flap 6, and this flap 7 is at the bottom or inner end of the slide.

This greater width of flap provides for an increase in friction between the flap and the shell, and lessens the liability to displacement of the flap and the end of the slide, when the slide is partially withdrawn from the shell. After the articles have been placed in the slide, and the slide has been inserted in the shell. the package is wrapped in paper, or in paper foil, or in any other suitable manner, the wrapping being indicated at 10.

In a package such as described, access is obtained to the articles, by tearing oil the wrapper at the open end of the shell, this usually being the top of the package. The tuck-in flap 6 is then released, as shown in Fig. 1, and the slide is'partially withdrawn from the shell. In the usual construction, the ends of the articles are in the same plane, the tuck-in flap is in the way, and the top of the slide 3 being in register with the mass of articles prevents the grasping of a single article, or of a file of articles. Each article must be picked out of the slide by grasping the end thereof, an operation which is very liable. to damage the article.

In the present construction however, the slide is so constructed that the end thereof provided with the tuck-in flap 6 may be swung laterally partly out of register with the mass of articles. I

To permit this swinging movement, the

1 body 3 of the slide is notched at one side edge, preferably at the right when looking at the front of the package, as clearly shown at Figs. 3 and 4. This notch is formed by cutting away a part of the material of the slide body. The notch is formed by two cuts 11 and 12 meeting at somewhat less than a right angle, the notch havin a depth of a little more than half the width of the body. The depth of the notch, depends upon how far it is desired that the outer end of the slide swing, and the walls 11 and 12 of the notch are so out that when the slide is swung to the desired extent, the wall 12 of the notch will abut the shell throughout the lengh of the wall.

Since the entire slide par-takes in this bodily swinging movement, the end 5 of the slide is tilted, that end remote from the notch being lifted. The articles cannot swing laterally with the slide, since they are restrained by the shellto vertical movement, and the several files of the articles, assume a stepped relation, clearly shown in Fig. 2, and indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. To return the slide and articles to original position, it is only necessary to swing the slide, and push it in the shell. The return swing of the slide brings the end 5 to normal' position, and when the tuck-in flap is .*replaced, the articles are pushed back into normal osition.

It wi 1 be noted that the provision of the means in connection with the slide whereby it may be manipulated to constrain the articles, to assume a stepped relation does not require any departure from shape or method of packing, so that the appearance of the package is not altered, nor is there any change preceptible, until the slide is partially withdrawn. The notch 1l12 may be cut during the formation of the blank from which the slide is made.

It will be obvious that the slide is not necessarily of the character shown and described. The feature which permits the swinging movement is the cutout or notch at the side edge of the slide- This cutout or notch is necessarily the full thickness of the slide, and the principle is applicable to slides having front walls. In this case however, the edge wall of the slide remote from the cutout or notch must be omitted, otherwise the mass of articles would prevent swinging movement.

It is also obvious that the tilting or canting movement of the inner end of the slide may be brought about without partial withdrawal of the slide, in order to protrude cigarettes for convenience in grasping. -When the slide end which supports the mass of cigarettes is canted, the cigarettes will be stepped. Any arrangement of slide or other supporting mechanism for the cigarette mass which would permit canting would serve the purpose.

1. A container for cigarettes and the like, comprising a shell, and a slide including means engaging the cigarettes at one end and so constructed it may swing laterally of the shell in the plane thereof to tilt the cigarette end engaging means thereby to shift sundry of the cigarettes longitudinally.

2. A container for cigarettes and the like, comprising a shell, and a slide including means engaging the cigarettes at one end and so constructed it may swing laterally of the shell in the plane thereof to tilt the cigarette end engaging means thereby to shift sundry of the cigarettes longitudinally, when partially withdrawn from the shell.

3. A container for cigarettes and the like, including a shell and a slide, the slide composed of a back and ends, the ends havin tuck-in flaps, and means in connection wit the slide back to permit lateral swinging movement of the outer end of the slide when it is partially withdrawn from the shell.

4. A container of the class described, including a shell and a slide, the slide including a back and ends, the back notched at one side edge to permit lateral swinging movement of the outer end of the slide when partially withdrawn from the shell.

5. A container of the class described, including a shell and a slide, the slide includ ing a back and ends, the back notched at one side edge to permit lateral swinging movement of the outer end of the slide when partially withdrawn from the shell, one wall of the notch inclined to abut the side wall of the shell throughout its length at the limit of the swinging movement of the slide.

6. A container of the class described, including a shell and a slide, the slide including a back and. ends, the back. notched at one side edge to permit lateral swinging movement of the outer end of the slide when partially withdrawn from the shell, the inner 'end of the slide having a relatively long tuck-in flap for the purpose specified.

'Z. A container comprising a shell and a slide, the slide having a portion thereof at one side edge cut away to permit lateral swinging movement of the outer end thereof when the slide is partially withdrawn.

8. A container comprising a shell and a slide, the slide having a portion thereof at one side edge cut away to permit lateral swinging movement of the outer end thereof 15 when the slide is partally wthdrawn, the

inner wall of the cut away portion inclined to abut the side wall of the shell throughout its length at the limit of the swinging movement of the slide.

9. A container comprising a shell and a slide, the slide having a portion thereoi at one side edge cut away to permit lateral swinging movement of the outer end thereof when the slide is partially withdrawn, said slide open at the edge remote from the cut away portion.

Signed at Chicago in the county of Cook and State o'f llllinois this 2nd day of January A. D. 1925.

RAYMOND B. DU VAL. 

